How Slow Fashion Can Tidy Up Your Closet (and Save You Tons of Money Along the Way)

Everyone has that defining get-ready-in-the-morning moment: the one where you look at your closet, see an array of options and still feel like you have nothing to wear.

That dilemma is a consequence of the "fast fashion" shopping culture we live in, which encourages us to buy clothes that are low-cost and on-trend. They tend to be poorly made with materials that have a short lifespan, and it keeps us on a treadmill of consume, discard, repeat. Think of it as the fashion equivalent to junk food: so tempting and tasty, but always leaving you hungry for more.

But there is another way. An increasing number of designers and brands are rejecting the principles of fast fashion and embracing a more sustainable approach
to making clothes. It's known as slow fashion, and it's focused on consuming and creating clothes more consciously, with awareness around how fashion affects people and the planet.

Why Should I Care About Slow Fashion?

Many of the negative effects of fast fashion are things that we don’t actually see when we're holding the items in our hands. Take the human cost, for example. Much of this clothing is made by people trying to live on shockingly low wages, working under difficult conditions and intense pressure to work faster and produce more, reports Longevity
. It's this system that keeps prices low and stores well stocked with ever-changing inventory.

There's also the environmental impact. A Pulse of the Fashion Industry report
found that fashion generates 4 percent of the world's waste each year, contributing a whopping 92 million tons annually. A lot of that comes from off-cuts, or oddly-shaped pieces of fabric leftover from the cutting process, reports Forbes.

Slow fashion, on the other hand, is typically made by people who are fairly paid and fairly treated
, and items may even be made in the same country as the one they're sold in, which reduces its carbon footprint and helps to preserve jobs and communities in the textile and apparel industry. So you're buying less clothing less often, and it's typically in better condition — and in good conscience.

Plus, you'll save a ton of money in the long run. Think about it: If you buy three $8 T-shirts every year for five years, you're out $120. But if you spend $60 on three higher-quality T-shirts that'll last you five years, you're saving $60. All of a sudden, that upfront expense doesn't seem so unreasonable.

How Can I Switch to Slow Fashion?

Slow fashion is also about respecting traditional textile arts and crafts, many of which have been lost to high-efficiency, high-production fashion factories. So the good news is that, as makers and artisans, we're already helping to reverse this trend by respecting the process of making something that's unique, high-quality and built to last. After all, once you make something for yourself
, you become keenly aware of how much time it really takes to make a beautiful garment, and it's more clear that quality materials typically cost more money.

That said, few of us have the time to sew, knit, crochet and weave our entire wardrobe. That's when you aim to apply the same principles that you embrace in the crafting room to the way you shop for ready-made clothes. So instead of grabbing that $10 sweater (that you will likely Marie Kondo six months from now), focus on building a core wardrobe of classic, well-made garments that fit well and look great on you — pieces you’ll reach for again and again over the next few years.

Now, that doesn't mean you have to nix trendy items altogether — we still love fashion, after all! — so weave those into your wardrobe as you see fit. The key is making them highlight pieces, rather than filling your entire closet with them. Then you'll have a balanced closet full of stuff you actually want to wear — and you can avoid those awful get-ready moments for good.

Pattern grading is an easy way to replicate a pattern to scale, saving you from having to draft the whole thing. It can be your go-to if you need to size an entire pattern up a smidge. (Though you shouldn't try to go more than two sizes up or down, as that would disrupt the balance of the pattern.) There are a couple different ways to pattern grade, but let's focus on two of the most common methods.

For kids who want to sew — but may not be ready for a sharp needle or complex sewing machine — this personalized piece of wall decor is a great starter project. Not only will they be proud to gift it or hang it in their room, but working the stitches helps them practice an even, repeating pattern that builds fine motor skills. It's a win all around!

Clothing and accessories are an awesome way for kids — and everyone, really — to express their creativity. But instead of buying new stuff, help your little fashionistas upgrade what they've got with some cool DIY felt patches. They're easy to make and look great ironed on everything from backpacks to jean jackets.

Given all the uncertainty swirling about COVID-19, there's a lot of desire to help. While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say staying home, washing your hands and practicing social distancing are some of the best things to do at this time, they're also encouraging everyone wear a cloth face cover when out in public.

Truth: there's nothing fun about having your skirt cling to your body. Not only can it feel uncomfortable, but it also prevents the skirt from hanging as intended. But with a simple handmade slip you designed yourself, you can rock any skirt with style — meaning this old classic just became a wardrobe must-have once more.

Whether you're lounging on the weekend or working from home, there's nothing better than a great-fitting pair of yoga pants (aka leggings) to make your day-to-day more comfy. Here's what you need to know to sew a pair — or five.

You love browsing, buying and using sewing patterns. And while making patterns may seem like a job for the pros, there's actually one pattern any home sewer can — and definitely should —make. It’s called a sloper, and it's basically a generic pattern based on your measurements without any wiggle room, seam allowances or style. It's the building block of all patterns, helping you to not only sew clothes, but design them.

Truth: a shower curtain can make or break your bathroom. If you're revamping your space (or moving into a new place altogether), this simple DIY can save you hours of searching for that perfect patterned curtain. And there's no need to install grommets or special hardware — this curtain can be made using only your sewing machine.

Buttons are so much more than closures — they're also a way to tie your piece together and give it a flawless finishing touch. While these little additions can seem intimidating at first, with this step-by-step tutorial you'll have them fastened on in no time.

Bias tape is a great way to bind, or seal in, raw edges. And while it’s commonly used as quilt binding, you can actually incorporate it into a variety of projects, whether you need to sew a face mask or want to add a fun design element to a garment. Here’s how to create the durable, stretchy tape — even if you don’t have a bias tape maker on hand.

Selvages run the entire length of a fabric bolt, and many people consider them to be garbage, cutting them off and throwing away without a second thought. But this finished end of your fabric can be handy in a project. After all, it's so tightly woven you don't have to worry about fraying. Here are some tips for putting 'em to good use.

Picture this: you go to the fabric store, pick out the perfect materials for your next project, and come home only to realize that — doh — you already have great fabric you could have used tucked away in a forgotten corner of your sewing room.

If you're a quilter or sewist, you've probably come across bias tape before. And while it's commonly used for quilt binding, there are a ton of ways you can incorporate bias tape into any project. The best part, though, may be just how easy it is to make yourself.

Ruching is when fabric is gathered along a seam to provide decoration or fullness. You may have seen it before on sheers (like in the skirt pictured above) or swimsuits, but there are so many opportunities for ruching in patternmaking. The technique looks particularly great on a fitted garment, where it accentuates your body's curves.

Apparently, sometimes we creative types think rather differently than the rest of the world. But we're all in the making game together — so whether you're a newbie sewist or a master of the craft, we bet you can't help nodding along to these truths only sewers understand.

Fitting can be a challenge for even the most seasoned garment sewers. But that's where a moulage, or "mold," fitting system comes in. It was developed and used in couture houses to reduce client fitting times, yet home sewers can use the technique to draft personal slopers for a blouse, dress, jacket or an overcoat.

If you're under 5'4", you're considered a size petite by the fashion industry — as well as the pattern companies industry. And when you're searching for a pattern, you want one that helps you look taller and gives great proportions to flatter your shape. Keep these tips in mind while you're browsing to help you find the perfect pattern for your next garment.

When fitting a sewing pattern, you typically check standard measurements such as the bust, waist and hip — all measurements of circumference. But there's another that's critical to getting the perfect fit: vertical dimension. This measurement isn't usually marked on most patterns, but you should measure and adjust your patterns for it (in both dimensions, actually) to get the fit you need — especially if you're plus-size or full-busted.

If you're going to sew your own clothes — or even alter store-bought ones — you have to know how to hem. The good news is it's a super easy skill to pick up, as the bottom edge is simply turned up and stitched into place. (Things get more complicated when dealing with extras like lining, a kick pleat or a cuff.) The method below can be used whether you're hemming a dress, a pair of pants, a skirt, a sleeve — anything you put your mind to!

Getting the fit just right is one of the most challenging parts of sewing clothes, mostly because the process isn't a singular step. Rather, it begins before the first pattern piece is even cut, and continues throughout your sewing.